Bowling pin



March 27, 1956 F. P. DOWNEY, JR

BOWLING PIN Filed Sept. 25, 1952 FRANK P. DOWNEY JR. BY

ATTORNEY BGWLING PIN Ihank P. Downey, Jr., Greenvale, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 25, 1952, Serial No. 311,500

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-82) This invention relates to bowling pins and more particu-z larly to bowling pins having improved wear and shock resisting butts or base ends.

Bowling pins are subjected to considerable battering, denting and chipping as the result of flying about after being struck again and again by bowling balls, and in hitting against one another in rolling around on a bowling alley or dropping into the pit thereof. It is obvious, therefore, that the treatment to which bowling pins are subjected limits their useful life. One of the parts of a bowling pin most susceptible to rapid deterioration due to the striking of one pin against another, against parts of the bowling alley and being hit by balls, is the butt end, and especially the edge part of a pin at the butt end and the face of the butt end of a pin which rests on a bowling alley.

In the case of bowling pins equipped with plastic or similar shock and wear resisting bases after being struck by a ball, and as the result of banging about on the alley and in the pit, the pin base is subjected to heavy impact force which, it is believed, momentarily compresses a base inwardly and substantially radially against the stud or annular center shank portion which forms an integral part of the butt end of a bowling pin to which the base is attached. The base encircles this shank portion and may be secured thereto by a suitable type of adhesive. Constant subjection to impact or blows of this type,it is believed, results in a compression of the wood which forms the stud or shank portion such that in use, a gap may be formed between the inner face of the base andthe outer face of the stud to which it is attached. Also, when adhesive is used in securing the base to the stud and the butt end of a bowling pin, the bond may be broken because of the compression of the wood of the stud. In such cases, the base of a pin may become loose and drop off the pin to which it is attached. If this occurs, the pin is rendered unsuitable for further use, or if a new base is attached thereto, it soon falls off.

As bowling pins become older, the residual moisture in the wood is lost as by evaporation. This loss of moisture in the base and more especially the shank portion thereof, depending upon the quantity of moisture originally in a finished pin when put in play, may cause such shrinking of the wood that the bond between the .wear' and shock resisting base on the butt end of a pin and the shank portion thereof is broken. If this occurs, the base may become loose thereon and drop off.

The present invention constitutes a solution of the above noted problems because it substantially prevents the compression of, and also compensates for any shrinkage which may occur in, the wood of the shank portion on which the reinforcing and shock resisting base is supported. The diameter of the shank portion or core which is encircled by the base, remains substantially constant and the possible danger of a base becoming loose or dropping olf is substantially entirely eliminated.

Bowling pins made in accordance with the invention have reinforcing and wear resisting bases. A base forms the bottom of a bowling pin and is so constructed that the outer faces of the base conform with the taper of the sides of the bowling pin to which it is attached. In addition, there is also provided in the stud or central annular shank portion of a bowling pin an annular groove in which is seated a ring of a wear resisting material which not only can absorb impact of bowling balls and the like, but also reinforces the wood of the stud or shank portion between the inner face of the base and the outer face of the ring of reinforcing material. In a bowling pin provided with the features of the invention described above, the compression of the wood in the annular shank portion is reduced substantially because of the presence of the reinforcing ring.

The reinforcing element or ring is inserted, as by press fitting, into an annular, groove in the stud or annular shank portion formed in the butt end of a bowling pin which has been turned down to receive the wear resisting and reinforcing base. This ring preferably is formed of a material similar to the base, such as a plastic, as for example, ethyl cellulose, vinyl chloride, cellulose acetate butyrate, or wood fibre, or other suitable material having characteristics which are somewhat similar to the wood from which a bowling pin is made insofar as slidability and springiness of a pin are concerned.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel bowling pin having an improved reinforced and wear resisting base or butt end.

It is a further object to provide a novel bowling pin wherein the butt end is provided with a ring of reinforcing, shock absorbing and wear resisting material which coacts with a wear and-shock resisting base and reduces the likelihood of the base falling off of the butt end of a pin as the result of subjection to impact during usage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide at bowling pin having an improved butt end consisting of a shock and wear resisting material attached to the butt end of a pin and a ring of wear resisting material located in the shank portion of the bowling pin about which the base is located and concentric therewith.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel bowling pin having a reinforcing and wear resisting base attached to its butt end and a concentrically arranged ring of wear resisting material located radially inwardly therefrom, the base and the reinforcing ring coacting to preventthe unwanted removal of the base from the pin as the result of wear and tear on the pin in usage.

The invention also contemplates the provision of an annular member of wear and shock resisting material, preferably of wood fiber or similar material which coacts with the base which isformed generally of a plastic material to decrease the amount of wood on the bottom of the pin. It is found in use that regardless of whether a pin is made from a solid block of wood or from laminations of wood, this construction not only prevents the unwanted removal of the base from the butt end of a pin thus constructed, but also pins of this type have better playing characteristics and contribute to higher scores.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the. claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings. which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like elements,

Fig. 1 is across sectionalview showing the butt end of a laminated bowling pin with the preferred form of the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the invention as employed withv a solid block bowling pin;

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on line 3H3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred form of the invention as applied to a laminated bowling pin designated generally in Fig. 1, and a solid block bowling pin designated generally 12 shown in Fig. 2. Bowling pin 10 at its butt end is reduced in any suitable manner, as by being turned down in a lathe to provide a central annular shank portion or core 14 which projects outwardly from the base of the bowling pin. Encircling shank portion 14 and forming a part of the bowling pin is a wear and shock resisting base designated generally 16, preferably formed of a plastic such as ethyl cellulose, vinyl chloride, cellulose acetate-butyrate or other material having suitable wear resisting and shock absorbing characteristics.

As will be evident from a consideration of Figures 1, 2 and 3, it is immaterial whether a bowling pin is made from a solid wood block or is of laminated construction, or a combination of both since bases can be atfixed equally well to either type of pin. In the illustrated embodiment, base 16 is provided with a flange 18 which is seated in an annular groove 20 formed in the butt end of the pin concentric with shank portion 14. Base 16 also is formed with a skirt portion 22 seated against portion 24 of the base end of the pin. Thus when base 16 is properly afiixed to pin 10 as the result of being pressed thereon, or pressed thereon and secured by a suitable adhesive, it is evident that the outer face 26 thereof forms a continuation of the tapered sides of the pin and thus provides wear resisting and shock absorbing bottom for the pin to which it is affixed.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided in shank portion 14 an annular groove 28 in which is located and secured a wear resisting and shock absorbing reinforcing ring 30. Preferably this ring is formed of plastic, as mentioned above, although it can also be made of wood fibre which has a natural afiinity for the wood of the pin. The novel function of this ring is to reinforce the bottom .or butt end of a pin and thus give better wearing qualifies to a pin formed in accordance with the invention. Because of -the reinforcing properties of ring 30 in a pin '10, there is less tendency in use for the formation of a gap "between the inner faces of base '16 and the wood of the 'pin to-which it is attached. Thus the likelihood of base '16 falling off shank portion 14 is substantially eliminated because wood portion '32 remains substantially constant in width during the entire life of a pin.

Fig. 2 discloses the invention as applied to a solid block pin as stated above. This modification illustrates a base 36 attached to shank portion 381 and a ring 40, similar to ring '30, located in 'an annular groove 42 concentric with groove 44 in which flange 46 of base 36 is located and separated from base 36 by wood portion 48. \While plastic rings 30 and have been found to be most satisfactory, the invention also contemplates the use of .wood fibre rings of the same composition as bases 26 ,and 3.6.

In the modification (disclosed in Fig. v4, the bowling pin designated generally .50 is provided with a base 56 similar 10 bases 16 and .SGdescribed :hereinabovte. Shank portion ,58 of pin is provided with an annular groove 60 concentric with groove 62 in which flange 64 of base 56 is located. Groove 60' is wedge shaped in cross section, and locatedltherein is a wear resisting and shockabsonbing ring .66 .of suitable material such as plastic or wood fibre whichiserves :the same purposes as rings 30 and 40 described above. The taper of side 68 of ring .66 is somewhat exaggerated in order to emphasize the wedge shape of the ring and the groove in which it is 'slocated. It is obvious -tha t-when ring 66 is press =fitted into groove 60, it remains firmlytherein and cannot be removed without being destroyed. Rings 30, 40 and 66 can also be secured in their respective grooves 28, 42 and 60 by a suitable adhesive.

The invention above described may be varied in con struction within the scope of the claims, for the particular embodiments selected to illustrate the invention are but a few of the possible concrete forms which my invention may assume. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structures shown and described.

What I claim is:

l. A bowling pin, having its base provided with an annular groove, a central annular shank portion projecting outwardly from said base, said shank portion being provided with an annular groove concentric with said first-named groove, a wear resisting ring located in said annular groove in said shank portion and having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion adapted to reinforce and increase the wearing qualities of said pin, and a Wear resisting and shock absorbing base ring having a bottom portion lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion and provided with a flange seated in said first-named annular groove, affixed to the base of said pin, said last-named ring being provided with tapered sides conforming with the taper of the lower portion of the pin adjacent to said base, said first-named ring exerting pressure on the side walls of said last-named annular groove tending to compress the inner wall of said first-named groove against said flange of said first-named ring to retain said base on said pin.

2. A bowling pin, having its base provided with an annular groove, a central annular shank portion projecting outwardly from said base, said shank portion being provided with an annular groove concentric with said first-named groove, a wear resisting and shock absorbing reinforcing ring located in said annular groove in said shank portion and having an exposed face 1ying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion adapted to reinforce and increase the wearing qualities of said pin, and a wear resisting and shock {absorbing base ring having a bottom portion lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion and provided with a flange seated in said firstnamed annular groove, aflixed to the base of said pin, said last-named'ring being provided with tapered sides conforming with the taper of the lower portion of the pin adjacent to said base, said first-named ring exerting pressure on the side walls of said last-named annular groove tending to compress the inner wall of said firstnamed groove" against said flange of said first-named ring to retain said base on said pin.

3. A bowling pin having its base provided with an annular groove, a'central annular shank portion projecting outwardly from said base, the outer face of said shank portion forming ,a wallof said groove, said shank portion being provided with an annular groove concentric with said first-named groove, a plastic wear resisting and shock absorbing reinforcing ring located in said annular grqove in said shank portion and having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion adapted to reinforce and increase the wearing qualities of said pin, and a base member provided with a flange seated in said first-named annular groove secured to said base of said pin, said member having anexposed face'lying substantiallyin the plane of the bottom of said 7 shank portion and tapered sides conforming withthe taper of e lower pq qn e pi adiace to said ha a fir amed r n e e t n P ssu e on t s d Wa ls of said last-narnedannular groove tending to compress the inner wall of said first-named groove aga nst" said fiangepf said first-,namedring to retainsaid basepn said pin.

4. A bowling pin having its base provided with an annular groove, a central annular shank portion projecting outwardly from said base, the outer face of said shank portion forming a wall of said groove, said shank portion having an annular groove concentric with said first-named groove, a fibrous material ring located in said annular groove in said shank portion and having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion and exerting pressure on the side walls of said last-named groove to reinforce and increase the wearing qualities of said pin, and a base member secured to said shank portion, said base member having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said shank portion and a flange formed integrally therewith firmly seated in said firsbnamed groove, said first-named ring being adapted to exert pressure on the side walls of said last-named annular groove tending to compress the inner wall of said first-named groove against said flange of said first-named ring to retain said base on said pin.

5. A bowling pin having its butt end provided with a circumferentially reduced outer portion and a central axial core projecting outwardly therefrom, a base member of wear resisting material seated on and attached to said circumferentially reduced outer portion, and provided with an exposed face substantially co-planar with the bottom of said central axial core, said core having an annular groove concentric with said base member, and a ring of Wear resisting shock absorbing compressible material seated in said groove and having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said axial core for reinforcing and increasing the wearing qualities of said pin, said groove being less in width than the normal expanded width of said ring whereby When said ring is seated in said groove, said ring tends to expand and exert radial compressive forces on the sides of said groove 6 tending to compress the outer wall of said said base to retain said base on said pin.

6. A bowling pin having its butt end provided with a circumferential reduced outer portion, and a central axial core extending outwardly therefrom, a base member having a bottom surface substantially co-planar with the bottom of said central axial core encircling said core attached groove against to said reduced outer portion, said core having an annular groove concentric with said base member and extending axially inwardly from the face of said core, the width of said groove at the face of said core being less than its width at its inner extremity, and a ring of compressible material conforming in cross section with that of said groove located in said groove, and having an exposed face lying substantially in the plane of the bottom of said central axial core adapted to reinforce and increase the wearing qualities of said pin, said ring exerting resilient radial pressure on the side walls of said groove tending to compress the outer wall thereof against said base member to retain said base member on said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland June 1, 1949 

